It is with great pleasure that I announce my new book, A Place to Belong: Celebrating Diversity and Kinship in the Home and Beyond. Since beginning my journey as ‘Heritage Mom,’ I’ve wanted to share my experiences and resources with families everywhere. This website and my social media accounts have been great avenues for spreading important messages, but I knew that writing a book would allow me to go deeper and wider. A Place to Belong is a guide for families of all backgrounds to celebrate cultural heritage and embrace inclusivity in the home and beyond. Pre-order the book for exclusive bonuses that you won’t want to miss!
Amid heated debate around social justice, the “browning of America,” and the shape that post-pandemic life will take, and while experts discuss educational freedom and school curriculum reform, many have remained silent about our children and those who nurture them where it matters most: in the home. The home is where lifelong attitudes are rooted and affirmed. Where children learn the values that will inform how they move through the world.
All children need a place to belong. What does “a place to belong” mean? It means intentionally creating a space where children can clearly see themselves and others, a home where self-awareness, celebration, and kinship are the norm.
In many cases, messages on diversity, inclusion, and equity get mired down in polarizing ideologies. They get lost in a sea of politics and religion and covered over with blame, shame, anger, defensiveness, and criticism. A Place to Belong begins with the fundamentally nonsectarian premise that parents love their children, value their communities, and want the best for both. This book is a joyful ode to childhood, a time of exponential emotional growth, and to the home, the treasured space where we form our first attachments and perspectives on the world.
Gone are the days when socially conscious parents feel comfortable teaching their children to merely tolerate others. Instead, they are looking for a way to authentically embrace the fullness of their diverse communities. A Place to Belong offers a path forward for families to honor their cultural heritage and champion diversity in the context of daily family life by:
• Fostering open dialogue around discrimination, race, gender, disability, and class
• Teaching “hard history” in an age-appropriate way
• Curating a diverse selection of books and media choices in which children see themselves and people who are different
• Celebrating cultural heritage through art, music, and poetry
• Modeling activism and engaging in community service projects as a family
In this book, I show parents of all backgrounds and educational paths (not just homeschoolers!) how to create a home environment where children feel secure in their own personhood and culture, enabling them to better understand and appreciate people who are racially and culturally different. A Place to Belong gives parents the tools to empower children to embrace their unique identities while feeling beautifully tethered to their global community.
PREORDERED and can’t wait to read your message to us, Amber!
Thank you so much, Ebony! I really appreciate that.
Amber!!!! ConGratulations!!!
I’m so EXCITED about this!! PreorderiNg now!!
Yay! I’m delighted that you’re looking forward to the book.
Thank you so much Amber for addressing this very important topic in such a beautiful way. Can’t wait to read it!
You’re so very welcome. Thanks for dropping by to show your support!
This is wonderful news! I can’t wait to dive into this book!
Thank you! I hope that you love it.
Sooo exciting! Thank you so much!
Thanks for being super excited with me!
Congrats!!!! Can’t wait to read it! 🙂
Thank you! I’m definitely excited.
Congratulations, Amber! SO PROUD OF YOU AND EXCITED TO see read your book! Ordering now!
Rea
Thank you so very much, Rea! That means the world to me.
I love your resources and pre-ordered your book as soon as I saw this! We have used your Africa study as well as your poetry study, picture study, and composer study posts and I bought “Sweet Tea & Cookies” to finish off our year of US history studies! Appreciate your beautiful resources!
Wow! Thank you for diving into my resources. I’m so happy that they’ve worked well for your family. And thank you for pre-ordering!
Yesssssss. P.S. I may have filled out the pre-order form twice because I wasn’t sure the first one worked : P
No worries! I’m so thankful that you ordered it, and I can’t wait to hear what you think.
Amber! I am super excited about this book and CONGRATULATIONS to you on becoming a first time author! This will be a great resource for all educators (homeschooling, public, private, social services, etc…)! May God continue to bless us with your gifts!
Thank you so much! I am so excited to finally be able to share my little book baby with the world.